Previous Post
Road Trip
Next Post
Design Wall – January 28, 2014
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Patchwork Times by Judy Laquidara logo

  • Home
  • Menu Plans – 2021
  • Useful Links
  • Contact

January 26, 2014

An Empty Tank

Previous Post
Road Trip
Next Post
Design Wall – January 28, 2014

Our smaller propane tank has a very small leak around the regulator and, understandably, the propane company wants it empty before they work on it. It was getting very low and the past few days, we’ve had night time lows in the teens and I just knew we were going to run out of propane during the middle of the night. Our heater doesn’t come on much at night because we keep it set at 55 – 58 degrees but the thermostat is programmed to come on at 5:30 a.m. so we don’t have to wake up to a freezing cold house. All we had to do when the tank ran out was for one of us . . preferable the “other” one of us . . would have to go out and flip the switch to go to the bigger tank, which is full. Every night, I would say “Have you checked the propane level?” and Vince’s response was always “when it runs out, we’ll know it!” I had been checking it every day . . it went from 10% to 7% and the last time I looked, it was at 5%. You know what the worst part of a freezing cold house is? Sitting on the toilet seat and that’s something that affects girls way more than boys! My only solace was that if the tank ran out early in the night and we didn’t notice til we woke up . . . Vince takes the first shower in the morning and I was all set to say “when it runs out, we’ll know it!”

Yesterday we turned the heater off when we left the house in the morning and when we got home from being out almost all day . . it was just getting dark. I flipped the heater on, turned the thermostat all the way up to 64 . . which is about as warm as I can stand. After we unpacked the car and did a few things, I realized the heater had never come on. I turned the stove burner on.  Nope . . we were out of propane.

Switching Tanks

Switching Tanks

I hope one of the things we do soon is paint that smaller tank.

Vince had to re-light the water heater. The furnace re-lights itself . . which is good since it’s in the attic. We’re back in business and as soon as the cost of propane goes down a bit . . probably about May or June, we’ll get the propane guys out here to change out the parts on the old tank, refill both tanks and we’ll be all set.

Share This!

  • Share
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Twitter

Related

Filed Under: Home & Garden

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kat Scribner says

    January 26, 2014 at 2:48 pm

    I know life is a challenge, especially in the winter, but your way of telling this story is still amusing. Keep warm! I used to have a house with propane, and the scariest notion was not quite running out of propane, but the outrageous cost of filling the tank.

  2. Karen says

    January 26, 2014 at 3:07 pm

    I would be freezing in your house LOL – I can’t stand it that cold in a house – poor circulation!

  3. Regina says

    January 26, 2014 at 4:44 pm

    Ah – cold toilets brings back memories – when I lived overseas I had a kerosene space heater, and it wasn’t vented other than my keeping the window slightly open, so I would get the apartment rip roaring warm, then turn it off when I went to bed. Mornings were VERY chilly – and after the first few weeks of the first winter I learned to shower at night. Brrr…. Nice having two tanks, though – your suffering will always be shortlived!

  4. Joyce says

    January 26, 2014 at 6:52 pm

    I HATE cold toilet seats. I had a power outage Friday morning, and I cringed at the thought of sitting on the toilet in a 55 degree house…it’s good you have two tanks!

  5. Linda says

    January 26, 2014 at 7:24 pm

    Oh Judy, I don’t know if we could survive in the same room! I have the heat at 72 here and I can barely feel my fingers and toes. I always, always cold. I’m sure glad you have the two tanks and you didn’t have to find the tank was out by encountering that cold toilet seat!

  6. Diana in RR, TX says

    January 26, 2014 at 7:38 pm

    5 or 6 years ago the day before opening day of deer season our temps dropped-got windy and cold-snow flurries. Galen got to the ranch before our friend. the propane tank was on automatic refill except the company had changed, didn’t send out notices. tank ran out that night-.no hot water, no heat, no cooking unless it was microwave and grilling. took 2 days to get the tank refilled. the guys roughed it out of course.

  7. kaholly says

    January 26, 2014 at 7:58 pm

    Thank goodness you had a second tank!!

  8. jen says

    January 26, 2014 at 8:12 pm

    Propane is over 5.00/gallon up here in ND. Be thankful you have that other tank. We’ve been robbing from different tanks to keep everything running on the farm…heat in the house, heat in the cattle tanks, heat in the shop. We are definitely researching an alternative!

  9. Marsha says

    January 26, 2014 at 9:19 pm

    Reminds me of growing up on the farm. We had a propane stove and refrigerator. It was a hurry up call to the dealer so we could keep refrigerator cold

  10. Denise :) says

    January 26, 2014 at 10:32 pm

    With the RV we use 30# tanks … we have four, so we always have two backups. Two are hooked up at a time and when one empties, the connector automatically switches to the second. Typically we can get an average of four solid days, but Todd is determined to put it to the test to see *exactly* how many hours it’ll go. Like y’all, we run the thermostat down low in the evenings (generally around 60). Saturday morning at 7 a.m. was the 96 hour mark and we still are going strong! I hope, considering how low temps are dipping overnight, that we can hold out until the morning!! 🙂

  11. Pauline Kennelly says

    January 27, 2014 at 3:03 am

    My quick fix for a cold toilet seat. First, I bought a remnant of fleece with the idea I’d make a cover for my toilet seat. Well, other more fun projects kept getting my attention and the fleece got further and further on the back burner. Then that vortex of cold hit the Texas hill country and I cringed thinking of the the pain of that cold seat. I grabbed a couple of sheets of newspaper and cut the appropriate hole, laid it on the seat and sat. What a relief! I didn’t worry one bit about any news print transfer either, bath would be later anyway. Maybe one day I’ll get back to sewing the cover, but maybe not, since the paper was too easy and I now have an idea for something else nicer for that fleece.

  12. CJ says

    January 27, 2014 at 5:01 am

    I heard propane prices were crazy, like $5 a gallon! I hope that’s something temporary, as I want to get a humongous tank and only fill it every few years to keep out on the land. My range, and backup hot water heater will run off of it.

  13. helen-mary says

    January 28, 2014 at 8:49 am

    1) padded toilet seats don’t feel cold.
    2) you should paint some funky wildflowers on that propane tank! Or quilt blocks!

Primary Sidebar

  • Bloglovin
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Subscribe Via Email

2021 Knitting Plans

WIPS to Finish:

  • Ravencliff – Test knit currently working on.
  • Mi Casa Wrap – Not much done. Started November, 2017
  • Tabouli – 1/4 done – Started May, 2018
  • Persistence is Key – 1/3 done. Started March, 2019
  • Arkansas River Pullover – 1/3 done. Started November, 2019.
  • Gilda – 1/3 done. Started December, 2019
  • Stained Glass Cowl – Not much done. Started September, 2016
  • Leftovers Cowl – 1/4 done. Started February, 2015
  • Brickless – Not much done. Started December, 2019
  • Itatiaia Cocoon – Not much Done. Started September 15, 2020
  • Avalance – About 1/3 done. Started February 10, 2020
  • Match & Move – Over halfway done. Started October 10, 2020

New Projects:

  • Sugarcane Cardi – Using the purple Madelinetosh Work Sock.
  • Boulevardier – Using Baa Ram Ewe Winterburn DK.
  • Mariechen – Using Madelinetosh Longrider in Raspberry Cordial.
  • Magnolia – Using Madelinetosh Farm Twist Solid in Beautiful Liar.
  • Metropolis – Using Madelinetosh Chunky in Curiosity.
  • Superbloom Cowl – I made one of these as a Christmas gift but I’d like to make one for me. Miss Babs Yowza Mini Set, which I have.
  • Lizard Eyes – This look so interesting. Wollmeise – I already have it.
  • Rattlesnake – I need this to remind me that I survived living in the wilds of Texas for 9 years. Pretty sure I have yarn for this.
  • Lumber Jill Cowl – I have the yarn.
  • Heather Hoodie Vest – I’ll use Cascade Eco+ in Valentine.
  • The Weekender – Not sure about yarn for this one.
  • Homebody – I’ll probably use Kathmandu Aran 100 or Cascade Eco Wool.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy

Recent Posts

  • Vince and The Old Pickup
  • A Bit of Snow
  • A Thief Among Us
  • Very Little Progress
  • Floss & Fabric Search
  • Chicken Tacos for Wednesday
  • Today’s Instant Pot Honey Sesame Chicken
  • The Cat’s Table
  • Stitching With Boots
  • A Journey vs. A Race
  • Boots & The Laser Light
  • A Good Marriage Progress

Archives

Looking For Something?

Calendar of Posts:

January 2014
S M T W T F S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Dec   Feb »

Copyright © 2021 · Patchwork Times

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.